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Interesting title for November 11th, 2018, it should be called Comrades in Arms day or something similar. Of course there are less of us today than there was yesterday, we are losing many of our comrades every day.

Tomorrow, all across the world, our Veterans will be living their lives. Some will be sitting in a restaurant with other vets, enjoying a free meal from a grateful people. Some will be joining with others at a meal being sponsored by an American Legion Post in their town, maybe catered by some business or a pot luck from the Auxiliary. Some will be eating MRE’s while on patrol, or even in a firefight with an enemy. Of course our Post the “Tomas Valle” Post 479 in Uvalde Texas will be one of those putting on a meal for our fellow Comrades in Arms.

The Preamble to the Constitution of The American Legion reads thusly: “For God and Country We associate ourselves together for the following purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great Wars; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; to combat the autocracy of both classes and the masses; to make right the master of might; to promote peace and good will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy; to consecrate and sanctify our comradradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.”

We jointly state this at the beginning of every meeting, it is a part of who we are. We believe in our nation, and we stand for the Flag, and for prayer before and after our meetings. We are a comradeship, we are brothers and sisters who have shared the vagaries of wartime and we stand together to do those things that will be helpful to our neighbors and our greater communities. First and foremost, we are brothers and sisters together we care for each other, as we did when we were a part of whichever service we wore the uniform of. We have each others back (6), when we know someone needs help we work to give it. When someone of our brethren is able to get a promotion in their job, or reaches a milestone in life, we celebrate together. We work to get the medal that one veteran from past war deserved but never received. Our Post has been able to get medals to three families and we are working through our Post Service Officer to get some others. We also take time when we need to for a remembrance of a comrade who has gone on to their forever home.

This is who we are, if you are reading this and you have served during one of the wars, WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Lebanon/Granada, or the Gulf War/War on Terror (Aug. 1990 – Today), you are welcome to come and be a part of our Brother/Sisterhood. That includes if you are still active duty.

So tomorrow we will celebrate together what it meant and still means to serve our nation as, soldiers, sailors, marines, air men/women as well as Coast Guard.

If you want to know more about our organization, or are interested in joining with us, you can check us out at legion.org that is our National Website.

Stay safe comrades,

John C Quigley, Adjutant Post 479, Uvalde TX
johnq@amlegpost479uvaldetx.com